The secret to a geisha's glowing skin?

Geishas do follow some special skincare routine. It is closely guarded, but there have been some “tips” leaked by several Geishas.

1. They always remove their makeup and they do oil cleansing. 

Even though their makeup is relatively heavy, they always clean it every night, using both oils and face wash, which cleans the makeup completely. They sometimes use camellia, rice, or other nourishing oils which doesn’t strip their skin as they cleanse. I’d hazard since becoming a geisha, they would also be rigorous in taking care of their skin- something they might not have done before.

2. They exfoliate. 

Some say by shaving their facial hair, by gentle scrubs, or sometimes by using silk scraps from leftover kimono fabric. This is a gentle way to exfoliate and keep skin smooth.

3. Nightingale droppings. 

It’s the star ingredient in ancient Japanese creams, but it’s not just gimmicky ick. Bird droppings do contain urea and guano, which is hydrating and gently exfoliating. But, while this ingredient was popular decades ago, it’s unknown if it’s still used by the geishas of this generation. It’s also entirely possible that current geishas are under the rigorous care of dermatologists!

4. Rice. 

Rice is a staple in Geisha and Japanese skincare in general, and it’s proven to be beneficial. It contains antioxidants and compounds such as oryzanol. Both rice, sake, sake kasu (which contains the whitening kojic acid) and rice oils are used in Japanese skincare.

5. Makeup. 

The Geisha’s heavy makeup is made of rice powder actually, so it might be beneficial to their skin as explained above. Also, before wearing makeup, they add a protective layer of wax (bintsuki), which soften and keep their skin moisturized.

6. Kyoto & nights. 

Sun exposure is the #1 cause of aging. However, theoretically Geishas avoid more sunlight since they are mostly nocturnal in schedule, and their activies are mostly constrained to the indoors. Also, the narrow alleys and shaded streets of Kyoto is said to be the reason why Kyoto women are considered fairer, more beautiful, and tend to age more gracefully.